That's ridiculous and doesn't make any sense at all. I'm in NI too and was recently referred for a non urgent ultrasound on my abdominal area and was seen in 4 weeks . GPS can red flag referrals so that you have to be seen in 2 weeks . There is no way that anyone should be waiting  a year for a breast ultrasound 

My doctors surgery has flagged it however from they will not push it through. I've been on the phone to my doctors and the breast cancer clinic who have said it's not urgent enough and the wait list is over a year long. Like I feel likes it's falling on deaf ears. 

Hi

I know in some parts of the UK the 2 ww breast referral is taking longer due to the volume of referrals they are receiving.

Is your referral to the breast clinic or just to ultrasound?

You could contact PALS  to make a complaint. Could your gp write to expedite it 12 months is just not acceptable.

Louise x

Gosh that is so frustrating . I believe that there were delays to planned cancer surgeries and testing during the height of the lockdown but I'm not sure that this is still the case , particularly in relation to breast cancer . Actually what I said in my post in relation to my referral was slightly incorrect .I wasnt red flagged so I wasn't seen within 2 weeks but the GP did an urgent referral , not because she thought there was anything wrong but she couldn't be sure . So I was seen within 5 weeks. I can't get over a GP not giving you an urgent referral for a breast lump . The GP cannot know that it's not cancerous . Not to make you feel bad and I'm sure given your age , it's unlikely to be cancer but breast cancer can be a fast growing disease and leaving a lump untested for a year is unheard of in my experience. 
I would be changing doctors if I were you 

Don't know what Trust you are in .  I have just had my 3 yearly mammogram and there was no delay there . A friend is going through some tests for prostate cancer and again no delay. The issue is definitely to do with the referral not being classified as urgent or red flagged . Have you asked why your referral is not deemed to be urgent ? 

I'm not sure, I think it's ultrasound. I agree 12 months is ridiculous! Like I can't even deal with that 

So I'm in Derry side, they won't red flag me. I mean hopefully there isn't anything wrong. I even rang the Breast screening clinic and they said that there is a long wait and people are waiting for over a year due to covid. Like I understand there being a backlog but it scares me and I just want it looked at. Years ago I had another lump in my other breast when living in England and I had a screening done at hospital with ultrasound with 4 weeks. This time I reported this current lump in February of this year and have been waiting since. I've lost count of how many phone calls I've made to my GP and the hospital but I'm not getting anywhere. They just say if anything changes to ring back. I feel like I should lie at this point but I don't think I could even do that! 

I'm in the same boat. I have urgent worries about my breasts and pain in my armpits and I have been like this for a year and nobody is seeing me. The waiting lists are that bad that I have already waited a year and have been told I won't be seen for another 9 months. It's crazy. My symptoms are getting worse. All i can advise is ring everybody you can think of to the point you are hounding them, GPS, breast clinic departments etc..keep banging on doors until you get seen to. Don't let them fob you off. Iv finally got a red flag referral put in now coz I pushed and pushed and demanded one and told them I wud be ringing everyday until I got scanned. I'm I northern ireland too. All the health service cares about is covid, anything else takes a backseat. It's actually scary how bad the health service has got

Hi all,

I've came on to google what to do and came across this page ad thread. Very thankful to read that I am not the only one feeling this way. Also, to see if any of you ladies got a way forward outside of waiting the 12 months??

I went to GP in March 21 and told her I had been feeling something since Dec and she wasnt concerned so made no referral, spoke again a few months later as the feeling was worsening and she made a referral to the hospital her in the Western Trust, so I called them in Dec 21 and they advised it would likely be a further 12 months for my appt. I have been trying to ring everywhere to get seen and left a msg for my GP left 2 weeks ago to chase as per hospitals advise  and ask could I even get a referral for an ultrasound and not a mammogram to which I wa advised, I was on the list for breast screening and it would be them who decides what scan I receive but if I really didn't want to wait I could go private. Zero care given by this Dr as to the worry I feel. 

Thank you,

Ce